Junior School Finds a Way

No large gatherings? No problem, we’ll find a way!

No Mrs. Shields in person? No problem, we’ll find a way!

Never tried it before? No problem, we’ll find a way!

This week the students of our Junior School returned to in-person classes and faced the realities of the ongoing pandemic head on. Rather than view our situation in a negative light, they were able to see opportunities for change and new ways to engage with one another. Typically, every second Wednesday is spent together in the theatre as a Junior School community for junior assembly. It is here that we celebrate student successes, share our community’s talents, reflect on the last two weeks and glance ahead at important upcoming events. Unfortunately, due to current public health restrictions, a large gathering like our junior assembly just wasn’t possible. Thanks to technology and some student leadership, however, the Junior School held it’s first student-led virtual assembly this week.

Grade 9 dynamos Lola Wamback and Gabby Shaw sat at the “news desk” and served as the co-hosts for our hybrid meet up. With each Junior School advisor projecting the assembly on their smart boards for their small group of ten advisees to see, we were able to be together both physically and virtually! Lola and Gabby’s opening monologue was articulate, positive, and covered all the bases. The two girls looked back to the significance of Martin Luther King Day that had just occurred, but also looked ahead to the mental health awareness event that is Bell Let’s Talk Day. In what seemed like well-rehearsed synchrony, the girls effortlessly moved from one topic to another. They were sure to welcome new students Garynn Power ’28 and Jordan O’Neill ‘25 as well as Mr. Jensen Sham ‘14 who has been lending his expertise in the Junior School the past few weeks, before sending it over to some of their ‘staff correspondents’ who shared announcements about sports, lunchtime opportunities, and March Break trips! For our penultimate speaker, we were lucky to have a virtual appearance and message from none other than our Junior School Director, Taya Shields herself! Although still on the road to recovery, Mrs. Shields’ bright smile and big virtual hug definitely warmed all of our advisor groups! The final piece to our assembly was a reflective one, as Rev’d David Curry logged on to send his best wishes to our Junior School community before leading us in our School Prayer.

While it wasn’t what we were used to, being together in this unique way was special, and there has even been talk that this Junior School Morning News segment might need to be revisited again! Putting in the effort to find a way to make our junior assembly happen instead of cancelling it just goes to show that there’s nothing that can’t be overcome with a little ingenuity, leadership, and support!